This saying is almost a repeat of verse 10; the Good News Translation translation of the two verses is identical. However, the structure of the two verses is different in the Hebrew: this verse consists of two parallel lines with the two parts of the second line matching the two parts of the first.

“Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord“: For comments on the expressions “Diverse weights” and “an abomination to the Lord“, see verse 10.

“And false scales are not good”: The sense of this line is the same as that of the first line. “False scales” (translated as “false balance” in 11.1) is parallel to “Diverse weights”; both refer to dishonesty in weighing goods during a sale. “Not good” is parallel to “an abomination to the Lord“. The literal rendering is much weaker in English than it is in Hebrew, however, and some versions have chosen stronger terms; for example, Revised English Bible has “unforgivable,” and Scott has “wicked.” In this context “good” means what is acceptable to God, so a translation like “dishonest scales do not please him” (New International Version) is also possible. Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version join the two lines of the verse together and use only the one verb “hates” to cover the sense of “not good” as well as “are an abomination”.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .